New Delhi, August 18 – Current world champion Neeraj Chopra has secured qualification for the Diamond League 2025 Final in Zurich after the latest standings were released following the Silesia leg. Despite skipping the Silesia event, Chopra’s consistent performances in earlier competitions earned him a place in the prestigious grand finale scheduled for August 27 and 28 in Switzerland.

The men’s javelin throw final will be held on August 28, where the 2025 Diamond League Champion will be decided. Chopra, 27, scored 15 points from two Diamond League appearances this season. He won the Paris leg with a throw of 88.16 metres and set a new national record in Doha with a massive 90.23-metre throw, clinching gold in both events.

Chopra is currently tied in second place with Germany’s Julian Weber, both on 15 points. Leading the standings is Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott, the 2012 London Olympic champion, who has collected 17 points across three events. Walcott recently finished second in Silesia with a best throw of 82.54 metres.

Two-time world champion Anderson Peters and Brazil’s Luiz Mauricio da Silva are also in contention to qualify for the Zurich Final. However, Chopra has not yet confirmed his participation in the Zurich leg despite having earned qualification.

As per agency report, Chopra’s qualification reaffirms his stature as one of the world’s top javelin throwers, and anticipation is high for his performance in Zurich, which will bring together the best athletes of the season.

New Delhi, July 9 – Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra emerged victorious in the first edition of the 'Neeraj Chopra Classic' held at Sri Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, marking a personal and symbolic milestone in his career. The 27-year-old javelin star recorded a best throw of 86.18 meters, securing the top position in the international competition and realizing his long-standing dream of giving back to the nation.

Neeraj expressed deep gratitude for the overwhelming love and support he has received throughout his journey. "I’ve always dreamt of giving something back to the country that has given me so much. With the NC Classic, that dream has taken shape," he said, describing the event as more than just a competition — a meaningful initiative in support of Indian athletics.

As per agency report, the event was jointly organized by Neeraj Chopra and JSW Sports and was recognized by both the Athletics Federation of India and World Athletics. Neeraj took to Instagram to thank everyone involved — from friends and family to officials and organizers — for helping make the event a success. He also addressed the athletes who participated from across the globe, promising to make the event even better in the future.

Neeraj highlighted the electric atmosphere at the stadium, calling it one of the best he’s experienced while competing in his favorite sport. “To everyone who came to Kanteerava, thank you. You made this an unforgettable experience,” he wrote.

In the final standings, Kenya’s Julius Yego claimed second place with a throw of 84.51 meters, while Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage came third with 84.34 meters.

Neeraj’s performance started with a foul throw, followed by 82.99 meters on his second attempt. His winning throw of 86.18 meters came on the third attempt. He fouled again on his fourth, registered 84.07 meters on the fifth, and concluded with 82.22 meters on his sixth attempt.

The NC Classic not only showcased Neeraj’s sporting excellence but also his commitment to nurturing talent and promoting athletics in India. The event is seen as a significant step in building a culture of world-class competition and inspiring future athletes in the country.

Ostrava (Czech Republic), June 25 — India’s javelin ace and reigning world champion Neeraj Chopra clinched the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw at the prestigious 64th Ostrava Golden Spike, part of the World Athletics Continental Tour (Gold Level), on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old star athlete secured the top spot with an impressive third-attempt throw of 85.29 meters. South Africa’s Douw Smit finished second with a throw of 84.12 meters, while Anderson Peters of Grenada claimed third place with 83.63 meters.

This marks Neeraj’s third title win of the current season. He began the event with a foul throw, followed by 83.45 meters in his second attempt. His best throw came in the third round, after which his subsequent attempts measured 82.17m, 81.01m, and a final foul.

Earlier in the season, Neeraj kicked off his campaign with a victory at an invitational meet in Potchefstroom, South Africa, where he registered a throw of 84.52 meters. He later made headlines at the Doha Diamond League, where he breached the 90-meter mark for the first time in his career, throwing 90.23 meters. However, he was narrowly beaten by Germany’s Julian Weber, who threw 91.06 meters.

At the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial in Chorzow, Poland, Neeraj again finished second with a throw of 84.14 meters, as Weber led with 86.12 meters. Neeraj bounced back at the Paris Diamond League, defeating Weber with a commanding 88.16-meter throw on his very first attempt to win the title.

Neeraj Chopra is next set to compete at the Neeraj Chopra Classic on July 5 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru. This will be the first-ever international javelin event held in India. The event is being jointly organized by Neeraj Chopra, JSW Sports, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), and World Athletics (WA), and is expected to be the most high-profile athletics meet hosted in the country to date.

Paris, June 21 — India’s star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra clinched the gold medal at the Diamond League 2025 in Paris with an impressive throw of 88.16 meters. The 27-year-old athlete stood atop the podium at the Stade Charléty on Saturday, defeating Germany’s Julian Weber and Brazil’s Luis Mauricio da Silva, who secured second and third places with throws of 87.88 meters and 86.62 meters respectively.

Following his victory, Chopra expressed satisfaction with his performance, particularly highlighting the strength of his run-up technique despite feeling that his overall form was slightly off. He noted that his body was leaning too far to the left and that his chest-based throw lacked precision, though the momentum and energy in his first attempt helped him dominate the event.

As per agency report, Chopra reflected on his journey in the Diamond League, recalling his debut at the same venue in 2017. He emphasized that winning again in Paris after seven to eight years carried special significance. His commitment to maintaining consistency across competitions remains central to his performance strategy, especially with major international events like the World Championships and Olympics demanding mental and technical resilience under pressure.

Looking ahead, Chopra reaffirmed his aim to breach the 90-meter mark in upcoming tournaments. He had previously crossed that milestone in the Doha leg of the Diamond League on May 16 and is determined to sustain that level of excellence.

Chopra also acknowledged the influence of legendary javelin thrower Jan Železný, under whose guidance he continues to train. He praised Železný’s coaching approach and positive energy, sharing that personalized tips from the Czech icon — such as modifying his crossover steps for better speed and control — have positively impacted his technique. Chopra added that while he still needs to refine certain technical aspects, having a mentor like Železný has been a major advantage.

Neeraj Chopra’s gold in Paris marks his first Diamond League title in two years and adds another milestone to his already illustrious career. With consistent performances and an eye on the 90-meter barrier, Chopra continues to cement his place among the world’s elite in javelin throwing.

Chorzów, Poland — After breaching the elusive 90-meter mark last week in Doha, India’s star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra is set to challenge himself and his rivals again at the Orlen Janusz Kusociński Memorial competition scheduled for Friday. This will be Chopra’s third appearance of the 2025 season, as he prepares for the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo.

Chopra, a two-time Olympic medallist, threw a personal best of 90.23 meters at the Doha Diamond League, but had to settle for second place as Germany’s Julian Weber surged ahead with a last-throw effort of 91.06 meters. Weber, the 2022 European champion and 2024 silver medallist, will once again be in the fray in Poland, setting the stage for another intense showdown.

Joining Chopra and Weber in this elite field will be two-time world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada, who holds a personal best of 93.07 meters. Peters had finished third in Doha with a throw of 84 meters. The competition will also feature Poland’s national record holder Marcin Krukowski (best of 89.55 meters), along with compatriots Cyprian Mrzygłód (84.97 meters) and Dawid Wegner (82.21 meters), Moldova’s Andrian Mardare (86.66 meters), and Ukraine’s Artur Felfner (84.32 meters).

Chopra had been striving to cross the 90-meter barrier since his 88-meter-plus throw in 2018. With the pressure finally off his shoulders, he emphasized that last week’s success was only the beginning. Now injury-free, especially from the lower back issues that previously hampered his performance, Chopra is eyeing even longer throws in upcoming events, particularly the World Championships later this year.

As per agency report, Chopra credited his recent progress to training under javelin legend Jan Železný, the world record holder in the discipline. Since joining forces with Železný in February this year, Chopra has been focusing on refining technical aspects of his throw and continues to learn and adapt with each competition.

The Poland meet presents another vital opportunity for Chopra to maintain his form and confidence as he builds toward defending his world title in Tokyo. With elite throwers from Europe and beyond converging for the event, fans can expect another thrilling contest in men’s javelin.

Doha, May 17 – Indian javelin star Neeraj Chopra has finally crossed the long-awaited 90-metre mark, registering a throw of 90.23 metres in his third attempt at the Doha Diamond League. While he expressed immense relief and happiness over the achievement, Chopra also admitted to a bittersweet feeling, as German thrower Julian Weber clinched the gold with a 91.06-metre throw in his final attempt.

As per agency report, Chopra, who is now the third Asian and 25th athlete overall to throw the javelin beyond 90 metres, made his mark under ideal conditions, aided by favourable winds and warm weather. At 27, the double Olympic medallist is working closely with his new coach, legendary Czech thrower Jan Železný, whose world record of 98.48 metres still stands. Železný, who normally does not attend Diamond League events, chose to be present in Doha, anticipating that Chopra could achieve this milestone during the meet.

Chopra shared that recurring groin discomfort had limited his performance in recent years. Now that he feels physically recovered, he is optimistic about throwing even farther in the upcoming competitions leading up to the World Championship, scheduled for September 13 to 21 in Tokyo, where he will defend his title. Having officially begun working with Železný in February, Chopra emphasized the positive impact of their training sessions in South Africa and the technical improvements they continue to focus on.

When asked about his next goal, Chopra stated that while crossing 90 metres was significant, his sights remain on repeating and extending such performances. He believes he is now physically and mentally ready for longer throws as the season progresses.

Reflecting on the Doha conditions, Chopra noted that the supportive weather and wind played a vital role. His coach reportedly told him during warmups that this was the day to achieve a 90-metre throw, and even after his successful attempt, he was encouraged that two to three more metres were still possible.

Despite narrowly missing the top podium spot, Chopra remained gracious, applauding Julian Weber’s performance and describing their competition as healthy and motivating. He noted that both athletes had worked for years to reach the 90-metre milestone, and achieving it together made the occasion more special. Weber, now the 26th athlete globally to breach the mark, also expressed joy over Chopra’s performance and their shared accomplishment.

Chopra did, however, acknowledge a recurring pattern of setting records while finishing second. He recalled similar outcomes during previous meets in Turku and Stockholm, where his national-record throws still left him just shy of first place.

Meanwhile, Anderson Peters of Grenada, a two-time world champion and Paris Olympic bronze medallist, secured third place with a best effort of 84.65 metres.

With his season off to a promising start and his body in better shape, Chopra is expected to be a major contender throughout the year. His Doha performance signals a renewed chapter in his career, one where greater distances and further accolades could very well be within reach.

New Delhi, August 23 – Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra clinched second place at the Lausanne Diamond League on Thursday, marking a significant achievement with a throw of 89.49 meters. This stellar performance places him just behind Grenada’s Anderson Peters, who secured the top spot with a phenomenal final throw of 90.61 meters, setting a meet record.

Chopra, the 26-year-old Olympic gold medalist, struggled initially with throws in the 83-meter range but escalated his performance dramatically in his fifth and sixth attempts. This secured his spot among the top competitors, continuing his record of finishing in the top two in international tournaments. His throws of 82.10 meters, 83.21 meters, and 83.13 meters initially placed him fourth by the end of the fourth round.

The reigning world champion then threw 85.58 meters in his fifth attempt, which vaulted him into the top three and ensured his competition in the final round. This was a significant comeback considering his last outing outside the top three was at the Zurich Diamond League in 2018.

Anderson Peters saved his best for last, throwing an astounding 90.61 meters in his final attempt, which not only won him the competition but also set a season and meet record. Meanwhile, Julian Weber, another strong competitor, could only manage 82.33 meters in his final attempt.

Chopra’s final throw was his season's best and the second-best of his career, though it fell slightly short of the elusive 90-meter mark, leaving him somewhat disappointed yet holding a respectable second place.

This performance at Lausanne underscores Chopra's consistency and prowess in the field of javelin throw, marking another notable entry in his career achievements and setting high expectations for his future competitions.

Hangzhou, Oct 4 (IANS) World and Olympic javelin throw champion Neeraj Chopra is a man of the big stage. He produces his best efforts when the world is looking for him.

On Wednesday, at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, Chopra came up with his biggest throw of the season, a monster 88.88 metres that ensured his numero uno status in the Continent.

Chopra won the javelin throw competition at Hangzhou with his season's effort and the bonus for India was that Kishore Kumar Jena produced his personal best of 87.54 to claim the silver medal, making it a 1-2 for India on the podium. Japan's Roderick Genki Dean took the bronze medal with an 82.68m. The rest of the field failed to cross the 80m mark.

But the event started on a dramatic note, as the officials failed to measure Chopra's throw and the 25-year-old had to make another attempt to start his campaign.

"I made my first throw and was waiting for the distance to come on the board. But it did not. When I inquired with the judges, they said there was a technical delay and the instrument failed to measure my throw. I also tried checking it on the video but they could not find the mark," said Neeraj after the final.

"The officials explained that the next participant had made his attempt early and therefore they could find my mark. It was strange. 

"They said the only thing they could do was to let me make my first throw again. As other participants were waiting and the competition was held up, I agreed to their suggestion and made my first throw again," said Neeraj Chopra. 

"That was a very good throw, a big one," he added.

Chopra thus started with a throw of 82.38m and followed it up with 84.49 on his second. He fouled his third turn but then annihilated the competition with the big one -- 88.88 which was a centimetre longer than the 88.17 he produced to win the World Championship gold in Budapest a few weeks back.

Chopra, the defending champion who won the gold medal in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia with a throw of 88.06, said he was happy to end his season with a gold medal. 

While the focus was on Chopra, Kishore Kumar Jena surprised everyone by winning the silver.

The opportunity was for him to take advantage of the absence of Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, the 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, who pulled out on the eve of the competition with an injury.

Nadeem had crossed the 90m mark in Birmingham last year and was expected to go head-to-head with Chopra as he did in finishing second in the World Championship in Budapest.

But that was not to be and Jena grabbed the opportunity with both hands as he came up with his personal best of 87.54 with his fourth throw and sealed the second place behind Chopra. He did try to throw it further but fouled on his last two attempts.

"I am very happy for Jena," said Neeraj Chopra. "When he made that 87.54 throw I went and hugged him. I had hugged him before the start of the event but once you get into competition mode, you try to do your own things. But I am very, very happy for Jena," said Chopra.

Jena was ecstatic that he managed to produce his personal best so late in the season. He had finished a creditable fifth in the World Championships in Budapest in his maiden entry in the final. 

Eugene (US), Sep 17 (IANS) Reigning Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra finishes second in the javelin throw event at the Diamond League 2023 Final with a best effort of 83.80m.

Neeraj made history last year as he became the first Indian to win a Diamond League Trophy. However, he was unable to keep the title at Hayward Field late on Saturday night.

Jakub Vadlejch from the Czech Republic, a former Diamond League champion in 2016 and 2017, bagged his third championship with an impressive throw of 84.24 meters.

The 25-year-old, who holds the Indian national record of 89.94m, won a world championship silver medal at the same venue last year with an 88.13m effort.

Neeraj began with a foul on his first attempt. He got off the mark with an 83.80m mark with his second throw and jumped to the second spot behind Vadlejch, who started with an 84.01m effort.

An 81.37m throw on the third attempt followed by another foul from Neeraj allowed Vadlejch to keep the lead despite the latter managing just one legal throw from the first four attempts.

Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Vadlejch logged his best mark of the night with the final attempt to defeat Neeraj Chopra for the second time this year. Vadlejch had also beaten Neeraj Chopra at the Zurich Diamond League last month.

On the way to the final, Neeraj emerged victorious in the Doha and Lausanne leg of the 2023 Diamond League series, but had to settle for second place in Zurich.

He obtained 23 points from three meetings, thereby qualifying for the Diamond League Final. However, Jakub Vadlejch, who participated in all four qualifying events, topped the leaderboard with 29 points.

The Diamond League Final marked Neeraj's second to last competition of the season before defending his title at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou later this month.

New Delhi, Aug 30 (IANS) The 2023 Wanda Diamond League will host its 11th competition of the season in Zurich, with World Champion Neeraj Chopra looking to continue his hot form.

Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar will also be seen in action. 

This will be the third Diamond League event for the defending champion where he sits third in the standings behind Czech Jakub Vadlejch and German Julian Weber. 

Both men will form a ten-member strong field including Grenada’s Andersen Peters and Finland’s Oliver Helander, among others. 

Sreeshankar, meanwhile, will be out for redemption in Zurich. After a disappointing performance in the WAC, he will look to outjump fierce competitors in Miltiadis Tentoglou (Greece), William Williams (USA), and Carey McLeod (Jamaica), among others. 

The Indian athlete is currently third in the long jump standings and will hope to inch closer to the top.

All the action will be live on JioCinema and aired on Sports18 1 HD & SD on August 31. 

Budapest, Aug 28 (IANS) World Champion Neeraj Chopra on Monday thanked Indian fans for staying up late and watching his event. Neeraj won a historic maiden gold medal for India in the World Athletics Championships, claiming the top spot in the men's javelin throw competition here.

His event started at 11:45 PM IST (On Sunday) and went on till 1 AM at night. 

Speaking to the reporters after the event, Chopra thanked the Indian fans and said that it was a medal for the country.

"I want to thank the people of India for staying up late. This medal is for all of India. I'm Olympic champion now I'm world champion. Keep working hard in different fields. We have to make a name in the world," Neeraj said. 

Neeraj, who has been bothered by an injury in the last few months, killed the competition in the Hungarian capital with a massive throw of 88.17 in his second turn,

Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem took the silver medal, the first World Championship medal for his country, with a distance of 87.82 while Czech Republic's Yakub Vadlejch retained the bronze he won in Oregon last year, with a distance of 86.67. 

The two other Indians in the fray too did their best but could not finish on the podium -- Kishore Kumar Jena, who had to overcome visa problems to reach Budapest, finished fifth with a personal best throw of 84.77 while D.P. Manu finished sixth with 84.14.

But India had the most hopes from Neeraj Chopra and the 25-year-old from Haryana did not disappoint as he came up with a superb throw on his second turn and secured his first World Championship gold.

Before Sunday, no Indian male or female had won a gold medal in the World Championship with Anju Bobby George claiming bronze in women's long jump at Paris in 2003 while Neeraj Chopra won a silver in Oregon, US, last year.

Chopra, who usually aims to start with a big first throw and had done just that in the qualifying stage with a stunning 88.77 metre, opened with a foul on his first attempt on Sunday.

But his next throw straight away catapulted him to the top of the standings as the 25-year-old Tokyo Olympic gold medallist from Haryana hurled the spear to 88.17 to take the lead.

Germany's Julian Weber was placed second with 85.79 on his second attempt while Yakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic was placed third with 84.18m throw in his second attempt.

Chopra could manage only 86.32 metre in his third attempt while Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem jumped into the fray with a superb throw of 87.82 metre on his third turn. 

Nadeem, who had surgery on his shoulder earlier this year following an injury, started with a gentle loosener of 74.90m and followed that up with 82.81m before unleashing a rip-roaring 87.82 in his third turn, a season-best for the Pakistan thrower. 

India's DP Manu also came up with his best effort of the first half of the competition with 83.72m in his third attempt and was placed fifth while Kishore Kumar Jena came up with 82.82m in his second attempt to remain in seventh position.

Chopra could manage only an 84.62m throw in his fourth attempt while Nadeem came up with 87.15m while Julian Weber of Germany remained in the third position thanks to his 85.7 attempt.

Arshad Nadem made a final attempt in the sixth round with a big one but it was still short of what he wanted and Chopra sealed the gold medal.
It has been an indifferent year so far for Neeraj Chopra in 2023 as he has participated in only two competitions with the 88.67m at Doha Diamond League, his best for the season.